La Corda D'Oro: Terzo Passo
by Depp.Station
Summary: Following the events of the manga: from Len & Kahoko's romantic beginnings and to the lives of everyone's favourite characters. UPDATE UP! (12/6/13)
1. Opus I: Always

******La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_Having just finished the manga, I am completely in love with the story line and I knew I just have to continue it._

_So without further ado, I give to you..._

* * *

_**Opus 1**_

_**~Always~**_

Hino ignored the mad ticking of the clock in a frenzy to finish.

A year had already passed since she had joined the Concours as a participant and yet the stark reality of her skills since the first selection down to where she was currently, still managed to give her nightmares.

She was _far_ from the violin virtuoso she was mistaken for during the first half of the competition. How the entire Seisou Academy would laugh now. She laughed herself. But the irony of it all was completely washed away by the mundane problem that sat staring at her and her unmoving pencil.

"_A flat there should do the trick, or maybe sharpen that little g, ugh, this so hard!"_ she thought as she scratched her head with the butt-end of her pencil. Music Composition. Not her best subject. In fact, it's her worst subject of the year.

She couldn't remember how she was enlightened to join an after school music class every Wednesdays. The torture of Mr. Saotome's constant haggling, she could endure, but the compositions and the pitch-trainings by ear were a real drainer for her and she would always find an excuse to skip the first half of the class because of them.

She bit her lip and tried to remain focused. Already she's missing out on the day's after-school festivities, which included watching Tsuchiura play against those damned all boys' school near the waterfront who, at one time, won the game against Seiso Academy purely because the referee was the father of the team captain.

What cheaters.

And her, for being a cheater herself with a magical violin, is now reaping the consequences of what a true musical virtuoso would have finished in a single pluck of a note.

She pulled her hair and comically face planted on the table.

Pushing the damned composition thoughts away, she allowed her mind to wander back to that fateful evening after _his _return.

It was awkward at first, sure, but she was redeemed by his surprisingly welcoming attitude. He hugged her back…with as much intensity as she once dreamed of. Len held her for a good few minutes before he finally let her go. He was looking at her then, a small smile with a soft pink tingeing his cheeks.

Before they departed, he held out his hand and pinky swore to her then and there.

"_Always…Kahoko," _he had said. She closed her eyes and smiled at the memory.

Len Tsukimori, the very person who showed her how beautiful the sound of a violin produced. The very person whose skill she chased after with such passion. The only person she ever chased for herself was finally hers. All of him, entirely her own…

…always.

* * *

_**Albeit short, I hope it met your expectations. It's sort of like a Prologue, that's why. Chapter 2 or shall I say 'Opus II' is ready for thy convenience.**_


	2. Press Club: Special Edition

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

**_Chapter_ Filler:  
**_Relax, don't worry. This chapter is just a quick summary of what some of our main characters are currently doing, now that they've moved up a year since the manga finished._

_If you want to continue the story, click the 'Next'._

_Of course, a little background wouldn't hurt..._

* * *

_**Seisou Academy Press Club**_

_**Concours Participants Special Edition**_

_**By Nami Amou**_

_**Len Tsukimori, Music Department (Year 3 Class B)**_

_The blue-haired violin virtuoso and popular 3rd year, Len Tsukimori is now an international name. After going abroad to Vienna, Austria to study music, Len is now currently studying in Seisou Academy after transferring back to Japan. His string quartet who just flew in from Vienna has granted his request to stay and finish high school before continuing their International Tour next year._

* * *

_**Shimizu Keiichi, Music Department (Year 2, Class A)**_

_Shimizu Keiichi, apart from excelling in the cello, is also currently helping out the Music Department's History Curriculum as a volunteer worker. He spends most of his time playing the cello and in the library._

* * *

_**Azuma Yunoki, Seisou Academy Graduate**_

_Born and bred under the Yunoki name, Azuma Yunoki's future plans after his graduation from Seisou Academy is still so far, unknown. However, it is known that he will not be pursuing music any longer._

* * *

_**Kazuki Hihara, Seisou Academy University (Year 1)**_

_Easy-going and passionate, Kazuki Hihara has now entered his first year in Seisou University studying Music and pursuing the playing of the Trumpet. He has plans on becoming a Music Teacher after he graduates._

* * *

_**Ryotaro Tsuchiura, General Education Department (Year 3 Class B)**_

_Captain of the Soccer Team and a part-time piano teacher at Manami Instruments, Ryotaro Tsuchiura is currently contemplating on whether he would pursue music or divert to something else. His plans at the moment, however, are focusing on his studies and making a decision when he believes it to be right._

* * *

_**Fuyuumi Shoko, Music Department (Year 2, Class A)**_

_A second year in the Seisou, Fuyuumi has shown strong developments with her musical confidence and personality. Lately, she was seen helping out the 1st year students with proper handling of the Clarinet. It is confirmed that a school-organised training camp for the 1st and 2nd years that play wind instruments will be held at her family's vacation home under her suggestion._

* * *

_**Kahoko Hino, General Education Department (Year 3, Class B)  
**Kahoko Hino, the surprise Gen-Ed student who was chosen in the Concours is currently focusing on playing the Violin and juggling a part-time job at a local library while rumoured to be under the tutelage of Len Tsukimori. Her ambitions after graduating is to share her love of music through the Violin whether it be internationally or nationally._

* * *

_**Chapter 2 begins when you click 'Next'**_  
_**... as we all intelligent people know.**_  
_**Ciao!**_


	3. Opus II: Stay

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_With the fondest gratitude to my first FOUR (it was three last time and I slapped myself stupid afterwards) reviewers who I shall recognise by name: Thyst17, Hercolanium and my two anonymous Guests, I present to you all..._

* * *

**Opus II**

**~Stay~**

He signed the approval notice with a flourish of his pen, noting that the documents were very much legalised as much as the appointment of the president of Japan.

Len Tsukimori was definitely staying. Upon arriving in Vienna a few days prior to seeing Kahoko again, he wasn't entirely sure whether just seeing her was incentive enough for him to stay.

What a joke, he thought to himself with a slight shake of the head. Of course just seeing her would have done the nuts and bolts of the fickle construction of his thinking. Seeing Kahoko was _more_ than enough, whether she almost gave up on him and even with herself.

Len sighed and briefly closed his eyes, allowing a small smile to form on his lips. Kahoko would never have given up. He knew it then and he knew it now. She may say the most idiotic things at times, but who can blame her?

Even he had said several rash and unforgiving words not just to her but the entire faculty of people he had come across in his lifetime and by no means did he not think about them much and would non-admittedly wallow in his guilt from time to time. Human nature. And Kahoko wasn't exempted from that either.

That as a reason also attracted Len profoundly. Kahoko was kind, she was sweet and very caring, and though she may be naive, she doesn't allow people to get the better of her. She may be pressured to think otherwise and would, at some point, almost give up on herself – the famous incident after the second selection was proof of such – but it was still not enough to fully destroy what she values the most.

Kahoko Hino was someone special. She loved like no other, cared like no other. No one really deserved her. Tsuchiura, Hihara, Yunoki and even Shimizu may in a way deserve her. After all, they all treat her with such kindness and such respect, and that was ever since the Concours even began, and possibly even before that; that was true for Tsuchiura at least.

And yet he, Len Tsukimori, managed to win her heart, her affection, her _love_. Oftentimes he thought he may just be really in some sort of lucid dream where the most maniacal of fantasies came true. However, he knew, that the way she would glance at him whenever they would meet in the school grounds and sometimes out, told a completely different story.

Hino Kahoko was truly his. No matter how bad he had treated her in the beginning, how hurtful and angry he had been towards her, she never said nor shown a shred of anger and justification for herself with deserving someone better, whenever she was with him.

She only showed him love and love, really, was all that he needed from the very beginning.

Len did a final scan over all the papers before deciding to rid of them as soon as possible. The sooner the board knew of his decision, the ample time he had with the explanations and the congratulatory greetings, not that he really cared anyway.

Seisou may be of a very high standard as a music school, but sometimes the exposure can be pretty suffocating. They better accept his terms, especially since they (and its dastardly snooping Journalism Club) were the ones responsible for all the chaos in his current high school life.

An abrupt knock came shortly after, diverting his thoughts from a certain blonde-haired nuisance. His mother entered then, dressed in prim formal attire, freshly ironed and as crisp as autumn's first fallen leaf.

"Ah, Len, so glad that you're here," Misa Hamai said with a smile. "Your father and I thought that we should talk about your stay here in Japan tonight after the concert. We were supposed to do it yesterday, howev-"

"Everything's all arranged, mother," Len interrupted. "You don't need to worry about anything."

"Oh?" Misa Hamai glanced at her son curiously. Len sure looked too content for her usual knowing.

"I spoke to father earlier on the phone just before you came in," Len continued. "He told me to do what I think is best. And I believe that staying in Japan is. Everything's finalised. I'm finishing high school in Seisou."

Misa Hamai smiled. She was more than happy to know that her son really was going through with his plans of staying. The papers on his desk were most likely the documents that the school sent him about his continuation. She was also almost too certain that one of those opened folders contained the signature of approval from the coordinator of the Vienna Institute of Music, regarding the sudden cancellation of his studies abroad.

It didn't matter. Len was extremely talented and she was positive that more and more extravagant doors will open for him, especially now that his music spoke not just through his sheer, perfect talent, but through his warm, loving heart.

Misa Hamai smiled. It was all too obvious that her son's stay had nothing to do with what the Music Department in Seisou offered, as harsh as it sounded, or even the limited albeit astounding offers that Japan's Music Industry offered. And though all parents are obliged to make sure that their children's futures would be a bright one, she was more than willing to accept the real reason behind it all, since she was really, more concerned with Len's happiness.

And she knew unequivocally and without a shadow of a doubt that it was all because of a very favoured former Concours participant by the name of Hino Kahoko, whom she herself, had grown very fond of.

* * *

_**Since the last chapter was more about Hino, of course Len needed to have his time as well.**_

_**In the next chapter, the musicalities and trivialities of the lives of our musical geniuses shall begin!**_

_**Onward we march!**_


	4. Opus III: The First Dilemma

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

* * *

**Opus III**

**~The First Dilemma~**

"Kanazawa-sensei said what?"

Tsuchiura sighed. Hihara's frequent inattentiveness could really mess with his nerves at the _best_ of times.

"He _said_ that a famous composer from Germany is coming to Seisou to hold auditions for some sort of youths-only orchestra," Tsuchiura repeated.

"Kanazawa added that the orchestra is deemed to be the beginning of a new generation of orchestras that will be centred on young people only," Yunoki added. The blush on the girl's cheeks who sat on the table across from theirs heightened, making her puffed up cheeks closely resemble tomatoes.

Hihara snorted.

"I'm sure that only those ambitious little pricks will get chosen," Everyone in the table looked at him.

"If those _ambitious little pricks_ are talented and capable, there's no reason why they shouldn't be chosen," Tsukimori retorted with a sideway glare to the salt and pepper shakers.

Kahoko nodded her head in approval.

"Ne, Hihara-kun, everyone who participated in last year's concours has a very good chance of being chosen," she said with a smile. "And that includes you. I know I don't stand as much chance as you all have since my level is nothing in comparison, but you can be sure that I'll be cheering for everyone wholeheartedly."

"We can always rely on you to be so positive, Kaho-chan!" Hihara said with a grin. The nods of approval made her smile.

It's been two weeks since the beginning of the school year, and though summer break had been a fun and eventful one at that, none of them really had the chance to spend enough time with each other as a group. Thus, under the great force of the pouts and pleadings of Kahoko and Amou, they managed to arrange a time when they all could genuinely catch up.

And a perfect day it was. A slightly warm Saturday afternoon, with a nice, slightly cool breeze.

Everyone preferred the outdoors more so than being inside an air-conditioned room and so they ended up on the cabana-styled beachfront restaurant who cooked the finest fish and chips around town.

Kahoko munched on the fries with the biggest grin. Everyone in the table were so dear to her and she couldn't express her happiness enough with their being together and casually jostling about than by grinning from ear to ear as she admired the different conversations and sometimes even arguments that took place.

Shimizu told Yunoki that he spent most of his time playing the cello on the beach. She laughed when Shimizu, in his snail-paced way of talking, added that a man had thought that he was blind - since he was very much into his music - that after his playing, he found a large sum of money in his cello case.

Hihara and Tsuchiura were bickering over the match between two international soccer teams that she knew nothing about, Amou constantly made Fuyuumi blush with her indecent and off-hand remarks about the male surfers on their view while Len, in his statuesque glory, sat still, glancing here and there as he munched on his food with casual contentment.

He glanced her way and she offered him a smile. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and turned to answer Yunoki's question. After spending more than an hour in the restaurant, the girls proposed to split up then meet-up again after half an hour.

The boys didn't agree at first since they all thought that the day was supposed to be group-orientated but the girls insisted that they needed to go grocery shopping and that "it wouldn't take long."

"It better not, or I swear I will come in there and make a racket myself," Hihara said with a heave of his shoulders. Kahoko bumped them with hers.

"We won't be long, promise," she said with a wink. And so the girls found themselves in the middle of aisle five, waiting for Fuyuumi to pick the _right_ brand of dishwashing soap.

"Tsuchiura's been eyeing you all day," Kahoko looked at Amou in surprise.

"He's what?"

Amou grabbed a pair of pink cleaning gloves and tossed it in the shopping cart.

"You know Kaho, I've only heard rumours and being me, I always want the truth," Kahoko could almost see Amou's nose getting longer and longer and mentally laughed.

"So tell me," she said, leaning on Kahoko with a sly smile, "what is really going on between the two of you?"

Kahoko bit her lip in hesitation.

"N-Nothing Amou-san,"

"Oh Kaho, you're no fun when you're all miss liar," Amou said with a sway of her hips. "You do know that sooner rather than later, I'll have the answer right? So I'm warning you my little violinist, if I find from other sources rather than your cute little face, then the whole school all the way to the University will have some good gossip to be talking about for the next...school..._year_."

Kahoko gulped and playfully punched her friend on the shoulder. It was true that nothing was going on between her and Tsuchiura and that they were merely just friends. In a way though, she wasn't too happy about the prospect of him thinking that they still might have a chance of being together in the future now that she's already in with his biggest school rival.

Kahoko scratched her head in slight annoyance.

Fantastic. Boy problems always greeted with the slap on the face.

And school was just Two. Weeks. Old.

* * *

_**For the confuzzled friends:**_

_**Absolutely everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, shall be made crystal in the chapters to come. Like a good novel (as I'm trying my hardest for this to sort of be like), the confusions and the puzzlements of the first few chapters will always, and yes, I mean ALWAYS, be made clearer.**_

_**You are all so lovely for dropping by and possibly even reviewing (insert wink face here) and all deserve a good ol' "HAVE AN AWESOME DAY/NIGHT/AFTERNOON/EVENING" greet.**_


	5. Opus IV: An Unexpected Announcement

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_Gratitude to the readers and definitely to the reviewers. You are all the motivation to update as soon as le possible._

_Virtual cookies for thee!_

* * *

**Opus IV**

**~An Unexpected Announcement ~**

She didn't notice that she was absent-mindedly staring at Len as he tried to fix up a couple of mistakes on her composition until he cleared his throat.

"S-Sorry, Tsukimori-kun," Thoughts ran amuck in her already confused mind about the conversation between her and Amou in the hallway afterschool about how Tsuchiura told her that he confessed to her about his feelings, which of course, rendered her incapable of thinking anything else but that. Unfortunately, Len had noticed.

Of course.

"You're not concentrating Kahoko," he said, putting the pencil down. Hino sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Len asked, leaning closer to her in a hesitant manner. Kahoko smiled. He was so awkward and so inexperienced about having a relationship but then, who can blame him? Even she isn't as experienced either, but since she was a girl, hundreds of previous-boyfriend stories from her friends were enough to teach her a thing or two.

"I guess I haven't told you about what's plaguing my mind for the past week, haven't I?"

"No,"

Kahoko pulled her chair closer to him.

"Do you remember last Saturday when we all went to the beach for a day out?"

"Hm,"

"Well, Amou went all suspicious with me," she said, lowering her head on her arms casually. Len arched a brow, obviously not understanding. "I know we haven't really had the chance to talk about how our relationship should show in public or anything since we've rarely had the chance to do so, but I really think that we should start talking about how we can somehow ease the announcement to our friends. I mean I have nothing against the little secrecy but-"

"Do you want me to tell them?" Len's question surprised Kahoko.

"You, you don't care what other people would think?" Kahoko asked with widened eyes.

"I don't really care what anyone, especially what the students in this school, say or think," he replied matter-of-factly.

"It's definitely you, ne, Tsukimori-kun," Kahoko smiled at him and patted his arm gently. Len glanced at the door when someone passed before turning back to her.

"And you?" Kahoko looked at his steely yet somewhat comforting gaze.

"Are you scared of what people might think?"

"N-No! Of course not, Tsukimori-kun," Kaho replied with a wave of her hands. Len looked at her in a beseeching yet Len-sort of way that only she was able to see. She sighed.

"I'm actually afraid that you would be the one who'd be afraid," she confessed with a blush. "I mean, you're just so popular Tsukimori-kun, with all the boys and definitely all the girls. I just thought maybe you wouldn't want to be seen with someone like me-"

Hino was interrupted by the loud sliding of the chair backwards as Len stood up. She didn't have time to ask him what was going on when he took her hands and pulled her out of the room.

"L-Len," she asked, trying to find her balance, "where are you taking me?" Len's grip tightened but he didn't reply. He led her out of the hallway of the practice rooms, down the stairs connecting the General Studies and the Music Department and turned towards the Creative Arts building next to the gym.

Some P.E. students who were doing some stretching all looked at them curiously as they passed without a word. The ice prince of Seisou was holding hands with the average-looking girl who plays the violin from General Studies. What a queer sight indeed.

Kahoko didn't have time to explain as Len took her up another flight of stairs and opened the room of the Journalism Club on the 2nd floor where Amou sat comfortably on a chair, fiddling with her camera lens.

"Amou," Len said, looking straight at the blonde-haired girl who stumbled a bit after their sudden appearance.

Kahoko and Amou exchanged glances; the former with an apologetic I-don't-know-what's-going-on smile and the latter with a curious arch of her perfectly pencilled brow.

Both jaws dropped a few seconds later.

"We're dating,"

* * *

Kahoko couldn't do anything in her shock. She simply held Len's hand as hers continually went cold.

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"Was that not clear enough, or must I say it again, because I will if I need to," Len said in a rather impatient tone. His thumb rubbed Kahoko's hand in an attempt to warm them up. He felt its sudden change of temperature and he didn't know why.

"No, no, it was perfectly clear, Tsukimori," Amou said, who was now standing up. "But I think I'm the one who's not being clear here."

She let two seconds pass by as she gave them a pretend smile before blurting, "_What_?" in a louder and more emphasised exclamation with the added facial expressions that scared little children.

"A-Amou-san, I, uh...what Len was trying t-to say was,"

"We're dating," he repeated. Both girls stared at him.

"If as you said before, it's clear to you, then we're going."

The few minutes of more walking and more stairs felt as if a whole week had already gone by and that she was already back at the practice rooms for a good two hours with Len as they normally did every Monday. Something was a little off, however. Kahoko's thoughts were more jumbled than the bag of letters for a Scrabble game and that didn't usually happen on a Monday morning. At least for her, anyway.

When a whiff of blue caught her peripheral vision and the sound of rustling papers was heard, her reverie abruptly stopped and the gravity of what just happened started to swim. She _had_ to talk.

"Y-You told Amou!" she exclaimed with a point of her finger. Len continued to pack up the music sheets as if he didn't hear anything. "You just... went for it!"

Kahoko's finger and widened eyes followed the blue-haired virtuoso around the room as he packed up both of their violins. She still remained in her accusing, statue-like position as Len walked over to her and stood just as the tip of her index touched his chest.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked. Kahoko _slowly_ lowered her arm.

"Yes, but..."

"But..."

Kahoko looked him straight.

"I expected you to at least tell me beforehand so I could have prepared," she said, her voice dropping eight notes lower almost close to a whisper. "I actually thought that after I told, you and I would talk about how to do it and plan on maybe telling them another day."

He closed the gap between them and surprised Kahoko by giving her a small kiss on the forehead that was so light that she was trying hard to remember whether he really did it or she just merely imagined it.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'll confer with you next time. Promise."

He didn't bother to slip her violin case's handle on her hands. He held both and stood next to the door, holding it open with his back.

She walked out in a zombie-like trance.

* * *

The hot water felt good for her throbbing head and body. It rushed out from the spout in a hard and rhythmic gush that gave her shoulders and head a free, natural massage.

Boy did she need it now more than ever. She still couldn't believe the events that occurred after school! Len telling Amou, Amou over-reacting, she not acting, Len kissing her forehead and Len saying sorry. Len, Len, Len!

That dastardly straight-forward, inconsiderate yet surprisingly sweet of a boyfriend! A real after-school 'ruiner' in the making. She was so tempted to stomp out of the shower and send him a message with "Baka!" in capital letters but decided against it. The water felt too good.

She couldn't shake out how her imagination ran as wild as a feral animal. Thoughts of arriving to school with every girl glaring at her and everyone whispering and looking at her seemed like such an obstacle that she seemingly couldn't overcome.

It's not that she was embarrassed with being Len and everyone finally knowing about them. In fact, it was the exact opposite that she feared the most. Len sure can be a little mean and spiteful at times but he still was one of the most popular guys in their high school, having achieved amazing honours and received outstanding accolades not only in Japan but overseas as well.

Not to mention that he was just so good to look at. She passed by the music department one afternoon and overheard a group of girls from Len's class talking about his good looks and how they actually prefer his more than Yunoki's and _that_ was saying something.

For another half an hour, she spent pointing out her embarrassingly low status in comparison to Len, which made up a good two hours with the rest of her unwanted remembering of the day's events, under the running water before her mother came knocking so hard and fast, she thought the door was going to break. Good thing Kahoko apologised just as many times as the knocks and it relieved her to know that if she wastes water as much as she did then, she wouldn't be allowed to use the taps for a month. She jumped out of the showers like a cat.

With a towel wrapped securely around her body, she glided along her carpeted room towards her bag. She grabbed her phone, slapping some fallen wet hair from her face and sat on the edge of her bed. Her clock screamed 8.30 in bold red letters at her, indicating that if she was going to explain to Amou about today, she needed at least a good two hours to do so.

She dialled. The first ring made her jump.

"Please don't pick up, please don't pick up," she thought to herself, not really sure if she could re-tell her practiced explanation in the heat of her friend's bombardments, which she was sure, she will be heaped upon.

No one answered and she breathed a sigh. She needed a little more stalling time. She was about to dial again when her phone rang.

It was Len.

"Kahoko?" he said with uncertainty in his voice.

"It's me," she said with a smile. Him calling was again, added to her list of 'Unexpected things that Len did today.'

"I just spoke to Amou," he said. She almost dropped the phone.

"Really? What did she say?"

"Wanting to clear things up," Kahoko bit her lip, wondering if he managed to.

"And did you?"

"No," she breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you would be better at it."

Kahoko smiled on the other line.

"I was actually about to call her again just before you called," she said, taking the towel off her hair and rubbing it. "So, how can I even begin to explain your actions today, mister?"

She could've sworn that she heard Len give a low chuckle on the other line.

"I thought that it would be best if she knew straight," he replied moments after. "Besides, we don't want Tsuchiura getting the wrong idea."

Kahoko dropped her phone.

"Kahoko are you alright?" she heard Len's muffled voice since the phone was lying face down on her lap.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, trying to steady her breathing. "But Len-kun, exactly how much do you know?"

"Enough," His reply made her shiver. "Don't worry, Kahoko," he continued. "You should rest for now. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Kahoko scratched her head. She was all so confused again. Does Len know that Tsuchiura had confessed to her? If so, how come he didn't tell her earlier?

She yawned. Len was right. She needed to rest and A.S.A.P. She knew that she'll get to the bottom of everything in a brighter, fresher day.

"Goodnight then, Len-kun," she said. "And thank you for saving me from having to start. But I'm not thanking you for leaving me to the harder part of explaining everything."

Len then laughed and though the lines didn't fully allow her to listen properly, she immediately loved it. Throaty but soft, sort of velvety and content. She loved it and wanted to hear more.

"I can explain too," he replied. "But not as animated as you. Besides, people would understand your side better than mine."

Kahoko smiled. He was definitely right about that.

* * *

_**This chapter's for all those who was wanting a bit of Len and Kahoko moments which I just couldn't insert in the previous chapters. Hopefully it's long enough as well.**_

_**It shall continue...  
Read & Review s'il vous plait!**_


	6. Opus V: Tensions

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_I cannot even begin to apologise just how late I have updated. So I am asking for thine forgivenesses my amazing readers and best of all, reviewers! So much work has bombarded me and after a good 3-hour nap did I finally finish this for all of you. _

_To make up for my mistakes, I made it extra longer than before ;)_

_So without further ado I give to all of you..._

* * *

**Opus IV**

**~Tensions ~**

The bell chimes rang in the distance, the birds, chirping away as they nestled in each other's company beneath the clouded blue sky. A lone sound echoed, wind-sweeping the foliage that lay idle in the stillness of the day.

"Kaho-chan's playing," Hihara said with his arms crossed behind the back of his head as he walked along the paths towards the bells.

"Hm, even the loud ringing can't drown her sound out,"

Tsuchiura and Hihara arrived at the place where Kahoko was practicing. She had her back towards them as she played, swaying with the sudden breeze and the solemnity of her piece. She was captivating.

It hadn't been long since the end of the Cultural Festival the year before when Tsuchiura had confessed his feelings for her. He didn't expect her to reply suddenly, though it had crossed his mind that after his confession, she would've ran to his arms and exclaimed her love for him too.

He pinched the bridge of nose. What a fairytale thought! And for him to think of it too. How his soccer boys would laugh now.

"Tsuchiura, you alright? Kaho-chan's calling us over," No sooner did he hear Kaho's voice; the feminine, innocent voice that was so sweet and caring and so lovabl...

"Mm," he said, waving Hihara off as he shook his head. What the heck was he doing now? What kind of a sick bastard is he for thinking up such thoughts? Kaho didn't belong to him nor has she ever shown the slightest hint of amorous affection for him either, so he definitely had no right.

"Tsuchiura-kun!"

He looked towards Kaho and half-waved to satisfy her. Not noticing his strange mood, she still gave him a big grin before Hihara grabbed her attention. Tsuchiura smiled. Kahoko, still and always will be, the naive flower among thorns.

"Tsuchiura,"

The green-haired pianist turned to see Len stepping out of a thick clump of trees behind him. They locked eyes and for an apparent reason that Tsuchiura couldn't explain, Len was emitting a sort of tense aura about him that made him uncomfortable, thought he didn't show it.

"Tsukimori,"

The blue-haired walked over and stood next to him, his eyes watching the two friends on the other side cajoling and laughing with each other.

"We need to talk," he said. Tsuchiura glanced at him.

"We do,"

"Leave them and follow me," Len started walking off but not before being abruptly turned around by Tsuchiura who wasn't about to take orders from anyone, especially that blue-haired son of arrogance.

"And if I say no?

Len looked at him again but this time, for the first time of ever knowing Tsukimori, Tsuchiura saw in his eyes the word 'please' which he would never have said to him in person. Tsuchiura let his lapels go and followed him.

"I won't be a minute!" he called over to Hihara and Kahoko.

It was the end of the day so no one was around the school grounds. Given permission, the music students, the team players, him and Kahoko were given special privileges to stick around until six o'clock if they ever wanted to practice, so it wasn't hard for the two to find a convenient and a private spot to talk.

Alone, yes, convenient, not so much. Len stopped just as they had reached the fountain in the middle of the school where unfortunately, its bricked-rim was splattered with the escaping waters. Tsuchiura frowned.

"Could have at least chosen a place to sit," he muttered. Tsukimori ignored him.

"That day that you told me about what you felt for Kahoko, before the Cultural Festival,"

Tsuchiura's eyes widened and he broke a sweat. Fumbling, he failed to hide his surprise.

"W-what?"

"You said you liked Hino," Tsukimori continued. He looked at Tsuchiura and noticed his sudden change. Of course he still has feelings for her.

"Is it still going on until now?"

Tsuchiura may have been caught in the first attack but he wasn't about to allow Tsukimori to control him.

"If it is, what's it to you?"

"So it's true then,"

"I didn't say that!"

Len frowned. "You're implying with your denial."

Tsuchiura looked away.

"My answer doesn't matter Tsukimori," he said, his eyes meeting the blue-haired's gaze. "What's it to you anyway? Have you found the courage to confess too?"

This time, Len was the one who looked surprised. Tsuchiura smirked.

"Don't think I don't know," he replied but a moment after, his gaze started to soften. "I know you have feelings for her too, Tsukimori."

Len kept still.

Tsuchiura let out a half laugh, half sigh as tucked his hand in his pocket. He inched closer to Tsukimori with his eyes wandering back where they came from.

"When you left for Vienna, I knew that I had no chance," he recalled. "I was there when she followed you immediately after I told her that you just left."

"Hino would've done it for anyone else if they suddenly left without saying goodbye either,"

Tsuchiura shook his head and looked Tsukimori straight in the eyes.

"That would be true, but she wouldn't have been all distant and not herself like how she was when you had left, if _we_ had gone," he continued. "She changed in a way that she didn't want us to notice. Of course, we had noticed, since we all care for her. Her music was always so solemn and so filled with her emotions, it broke our hearts whenever we heard her play. She poured all her time and effort in her violin and whenever we asked her, she simply stated that 'Tsukimori-kun would've wanted me to.' It wasn't hard for people to catch on, you know."

Tsukimori nodded his head slightly and turned as a sudden strong breeze brushed past, slightly swaying his posture to the side.

"Hino's determination had underlying motives to them," Tsuchiura continued then angled his body so his shoulder was pointing towards Len but his face was looking somewhere else. "You."

* * *

Kahoko's thoughts wondered to Tsuchiura and Tsukimori. She knew Tsukimori was with him and probably still was since she had caught a glimpse of him behind the trees where Tsuchiura suddenly materialised from to say his goodbye. She was a little on edge as to what was going on between them now.

Does Tsukimori know about Tsuchiura's confession? Does Tsuchiura know that she and Tsukimori are together now? She was beginning to be frightened by the possible outcomes that would erupt in their sudden conversation. She was thankful for Hihara though, who always manage to divert her attentions away from her worries.

They sat on a little cafe just a few blocks down from Seisou Academy, thanks to Hihara's stomach who growled in suggestion. They did spend a good hour and half of playing together like the good old days. She complied happily when he had asked. After all, it has been a long time since she has spoken to Hihara just by himself.

They talked much about how University was going. Hihara seemed to be enjoying it a lot, especially since his studies were more laid-back and with the teaching course with it, it was a small bit of change from the usual music routine of high-school.

Hihara spilled plans of his desire to continue with music and how Seisou would definitely benefit with his determination. Besides, his skills were 'invaluable' as he had said and the school would definitely find him irreplaceable. Kahoko laughed at that. She was happy that he looked so content and happy with how things were currently going on.

He busily munched on his pork bun with a huge grin on his face. Kahoko couldn't help but smile inwardly to herself to how cute he looked. He certainly was like a little boy at times.

A tinge of pink became evident in her cheeks when she remembered that particular time when she and Hihara went out together as well. He was staring at her with eyes whose meaning was so obvious that she could've sworn that even their waiter had noticed. Though Kahoko may still be a little naive with some things, she was, however, very sure that her feelings will not please him, if her suspicions were true.

Besides, food and Hihara would be the best couple in the epitome of relationships, that's for sure. An image of a smiling Hihara in a groom's attire marrying his favourite foods shaped like a woman made her laugh out loud.

"You alright Kaho-chan?" he asked with an innocent arch of a brow.

"I'm fine," she said chuckling. "I just wondered what a grand wedding it would be if you got married to your favourite foods, Hihara-kun. Imagine how well you would complement each other!"

Hihara's loud and boyish laugh echoed and many bystanders and customers looked at them weirdly but neither cared. Sometimes, one just needs to let out a good, loud laugh.

"Ah, Kaho-chan, that would be nice," Hihara said, after settling down. "But that would be boring! It would be one-sided! She'll be the one always spoiling me and all I do is take from her."

"It doesn't really matter as long as you're happy, Hihara-kun," Kahoko beamed. Hihara blushed at her statement. It was so innocent but so damn sweet that his teeth started to hurt.

"You're always so thoughtful, Kahoko-chan. I wish I can always be the one to make you happy," he muttered.

"Did you say something Hihara-kun?"

"Oh, uh, no! Nothing, Kaho-chan!" He waved his arms in the air and scratched the back of his head. But how he wished he could have said it.

* * *

Around noon the next day, Kahoko decided to go the rooftop in hopes of finding it private enough to finish her composition work. There was a Basketball competition held that day and most of the students lingered around the gymnasium to watch the Seisou students verse the teachers, and she slipped as quickly as possible away from Nao and Mio who surely would have dragged her across the grounds to watch.

It was a splendid afternoon. The rooftop, upon arriving, was empty, much to her pleasure and she settled herself comfortably on one of the benches, tilting her head back as she drenched herself in the sun's warm embrace. Yesterday had been a lot of fun and although she wasn't able to see Tsukimori that day for which reason, she still needed to find out for; everything else went well enough to put a smile on her lips as she slept.

As she hummed the clarinet polka tune, she didn't notice the doors swing open. It wasn't until Fuyuumi's barely audible voice whispered her name did she finally broke off her concentration.

"Fuyuumi-chan!" Kahoko exclaimed as the shy 2nd year student blushed beside her.

"H-Hello, Kaho-sempai," Kahoko immediately put her arms around the frail girl and squashed her in an embrace.

"I haven't seen you in a while!" she said. "How have you been?"

Fuyuumi blushed an even deeper shade of red as she composed herself after being released.

"I-I'm very good Kaho-sempai," she replied with a small smile.

"So what brought you up here? I thought you would've been dragged by Amou-san to go to the gym and get you a boyfriend or something!"

Surprisingly, Fuyuumi laughed and Kahoko joined in with her. It was nice to see that the young clarinet-player was continually growing in confidence though at times, she still could be the shyest girl in the whole of Seisou.

"I, w-wanted to know if Kaho-sempai would l-like to accompany me at my family's v-vacation villa," she said. "M-my father has arranged two international music directors who would be staying there and o-offered if anyone of my friends would like to come."

Kahoko stared at Fuyuumi in shock and held her hand a short moment after!

"Of course, Fuyuumi-chan!" Kahoko exclaimed. "I would love to! But that reminds me, that same weekend is your birthday too, ne?"

Fuyuumi nodded and a second later, Kahoko realised how stupid she just sounded.

"Oh, it's for your birthday isn't it! That's so exciting!"

"Y-yes, I am very grateful Kaho-sempai," Kahoko picked up her fallen pencil and tucked it inside her book.

"So who else have you invited Fuyuumi-chan?" Kahoko crossed her legs and implored Fuyuumi to continue.

"I-I haven't yet," she replied, blushing furiously. "But I was thinking of inviting everyone who p-participated in the concours and also Mio, Nao and Amou."

Kahoko nodded her head and smiled.

"I'm sure they would love it and appreciate it Fuyuumi-chan!"

"T-Thank you,"

"Would you like some of my help with making the invitations or something?" Fuyuumi nodded her head furiously and bowed repeatedly, offering her her utmost gratitude and apologising if she was an inconvenience. Kahoko merely laughed and hugged the girl again.

Fuyuumi's birthday party. The boys, the girls and one house. It's going to be a whole new weekend of chaos indeed!

* * *

_**A little chaos is a whole lot of fun...  
Review s'il vous plait!**_


	7. Opus VI: The Yunoki Dilemma Part 1

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_I deeply, deeply, more deeply than the abyss of Hades (god of the Underworld) APOLOGISE for this despicably late update. I know you all basically think me revolting as of now, but I just could not fit it in with my absolutely busy schedule!_

In fact, it's so busy, I couldn't even catch up with a best friend! I reckon that's bad itself. But allow me to bore you no more and continue on...

* * *

**Opus VI**

**~ The Yunoki Dilemma Part 1~**

"Have you decided on a song for the recital, Kaho?"

The red-haired shook her head.

"I guess I haven't really thought much about it until Mr. Saotome reminded me before class yesterday," Kahoko yawned. "I'm just so tired."

"You've been working with Fuyuumi-chan for the last couple of days, haven't you?" Mio asked. Kahoko nodded.

"Just need to print out the invitations tonight," Kahoko replied. The three girls sat at one of the cafeteria tables with the violinist's eyes drooping every five seconds. Mio and Nao looked at each other in worry.

"How about we take care of the invitations and you take the time off tonight?" Nao offered.

"Yeah, Kaho," agreed Mio. "You look horrible! And remember, we have an assessment paper due this Friday and you told me you haven't started on that yet."

Kahoko smiled sleepily at her friends but her gratitude was obvious in her eyes.

"Thank you guys," she said with another more pronounced yawn. "I think I'm going to go and take a quick nap. Wake me when lunch is finished."

The rest of the day was uneventful for Kahoko. She attended her classes with the facade of a perfectly normal student. She pretended to take notes and nodded every time the teacher would glance her way when in fact, she endlessly scribbled Lili's face as she tried to imagine him.

At the end of the day while she fixed her shoelace on the already empty hallway, Len approached her, offering to take her home.

"Len-kun," she said in mild surprise. The blue-haired held his hand out.

"Thanks,' she said as she was helped up. She dusted off her skirt and grabbed her violin with Len leading the way out. They walked in a snail pace, admiring the casual atmosphere between them. Though it hadn't been long since the awkwardness and the guilt-tripping tension surrounded them both whenever they were together, the sudden contrast between then and the atmosphere now was a change they both welcomed.

Kahoko didn't need to act to impress Len anymore. He made that clear when during their first date, he grabbed her arms, turned her to him and looked her directly in the eyes. She felt his message...along with his holding of her hands which was the main catalyst for the breaking of the tension.

She surprised him in so many ways she just couldn't keep up. Often she simply just gave up and rode along. Len was new and exciting and she has him all to herself.

"Which reminds me, I haven't told him about my little chat with Amou yet," she thought. She cleared her throat.

"I uh, talked to Amou by the way," she began.

"Hm,"

"It was a very..." she paused, trying to find the right word to say. "..._long_ conversation."

Len continued walking, his eyes, watching a bird fly past. "Was it?"

"Yep," Kahoko replied. She remembered that Friday night all too well. Amou had intercepted her before she could turn on the next intersection to go home. She was dragged halfway across suburbia in a quaint little cafe whose owner knew Amou (apparently they were family friends) who gave them discounted fries and free drinks throughout the night. It would've been a perfect chilled start to the weekend if Amou had controlled her raging emotions towards a particular subject Kahoko herself was embarrassed to have taken so long to have explained.

Amou's enraged face registered in her mind and she shook her head.

"What the bloody hell is up between you and Tsukimori, Kahoko!" she exclaimed, exasperated by not knowing for a good two days and being avoided for almost two and a half.

"And the fact that you avoided me!" Amou crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to snob her. "How rude, Kahoko! I expected so much from you."

Kahoko had apologised sincerely. Trying her hardest, she had pleaded Amou to empathise with her. After all, she was new to all of this. Amou had complied, accompanied with a devilish smirk.

"I will, if..." the long pause made Kahoko swallow in anxiousness, "...every single detail, and I mean _every single detail_ from when you first started to have feelings for each other until finally the confessions. Of course you should also add in the explanation of why the heck you _did not_ tell me Kahoko_!"_

"You didn't tell her all that now?"

Kahoko laughed at Len's slightly bewildered eyes. It's true. _That_ was quite a handful of personal and intimate questions.

* * *

"It's been three days since I've last talked to Kaho-chan," Hihara said as he flexed his arms and threw the ball down the alley, earning him six tumbles of the pins.

Yunoki, who sat cross-legged on one of the chairs, flexed his fingers. It was his turn now.

With an effortless movement that epitomised the word grace, the ball slid down and hit all ten pins. Hihara gaped, spectators awed. Yunoki was always and will forever be just perfect.

"Why didn't you let me invite her anyway?" Hihara pouted in an effort to make his best friend empathise with him.

"Because she needs a good break once in a while Hihara-kun," the purple-haired replied with a smile.

"She hasn't mentioned how tired she was," The disco lights came on and the flashes of neon made Hihara's white jacket gleam. "Tsuchiura hasn't mentioned anything either."

"Perhaps she's never mentioned it to anyone," Yunoki replied. "You know how Hino-san can be very selfless." Hihara didn't notice the hidden roll of eyes his friend did as he recalled how Kaho was always so thoughtful.

"That she is, Yunoki!" he said with a smile as he threw another ball down.

Yunoki shook his head. He was certain that Hihara would be more than disappointed if he hears the news about Kaho's dirty little secret with that contemptuous blue-haired.

His mind started to roll. To tell or not to tell. It sounds very much like him to subtly and _innocently _spill the beans on the his best friend's love-struck plate, but it was also very tempting to wade out just a little bit closer to the shore and allow the two lovebirds to let the shark loose too.

Yunoki smirked. It would be even _more_ fun if Hino was the little mischievous mermaid and would do the little talking.

Oh how he wanted to be there when that would happen. Maybe a little visit would do the trick.

The very next day, Yunoki waited for Hino at the school showgrounds. He had overheard some students who had passed him talking about the recital that took place that day with some students from the music department but also from Kaho and Tsuchiura from the General Department.

Kahoko was waving goodbye to Mio and Nao when Yunoki approached her.

"Yunoki-sama, so great to see you here!" She flashed her white teeth, offering him the best smile she could offer.

"Stop pretending Hino, I know you're not that happy to see me." Yunoki circled the girl who was trembling on the inside.

"Yunoki-sama, can't you ever be nice at least for one day?" Kaho sighed, upset by being defeated by his straight-forwardness.

"I was when we last saw each other," Yunoki replied, smiling with that evil smile Kahoko almost hated. Almost.

"Your facade is worse than mine," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that, Kaho_ko_?" Cringing at the way he pronounced her name, she innocently waved her hand.

"I'm just wondering why you've come, Yunoki-sama,"

They walked the other way to most of the students, heading to the direction of the little neat grove she would normally practice her violin in.

"You're being dishonest with me, Hino-san," Yunoki said, upon arriving. Kahoko looked at him curiously.

"Dishonest?" she asked. Yunoki turned to her; the amusement in his eyes was replaced by serious probing.

"Don't begin to deny that something of significance had happened during the summer break that you haven't told your _friends_ about," his cryptic words suddenly began to be clearer. Kahoko turned her head away, unable to properly handle the situation.

She hadn't expected Yunoki to come and visit for no particular purpose than to make her life miserable. But since he had finished school, she thought she was finally free from it. Unfortunately for her though, he's not so lenient with the letting go part.

"You know then, Yunoki-sama," she said, finally looking him in the eye. The purple-haired smirked.

"Of course," he replied. "But I want to hear the full story from you. If you don't mind."

'_If you don't mind, he says,'_ she thought sarcastically.

"Tsukimori-san and I are-"

"I don't want the obvious, Kaho, I want details," he tapped his feet impatiently.

"When he came back from Vienna, I knew I had to see him," she said. "I needed him to know that I've improved my playing and it's because of him."

"Tsukimori wasn't too impressed with your playing," Kahoko looked at the ground, smiling as she remembered that time at the rooftop with him when he said the same things.

"I can never meet his standards, I can never match the way he would play," Kahoko replied. "But that's why Tsukimori is very important to me. He doesn't need me to impress him. He just wants me to be...me."

Yunoki laughed.

"How cliché,"

Kahoko watched him as he twirled his hair, ready to leave.

"I would have given you a little bit more of a storyline than that, Kaho_ko_," he said with a wink that both chilled and disturbed her. "Too bad you chose too quickly."

* * *

Len took Kahoko to his house to have dinner with him as his parents were away. He knew something was amiss though, because of her silence and her willingness to come with him even though before, she was extremely cautious about how they interacted that she even made a 'policy' that they would only "meet alone when we're not alone." That is, they can only be together when there's at least one person who knew of their whereabouts and was "five seconds away" when an "emergency" would arise.

Len laughed to himself then became serious again when he noticed Kaho sit herself on the couch silently, looking as if she could be mummified at any time. He handed her a drink and sat across from her, waiting for her to finish.

"Yunoki-sama visited me today," she said, staring blankly ahead. Len continued to wait.

"He knows about us but I didn't tell him," she said.

"That's not what you're surprised about, are you?" he asked a little bewildered. Wasn't she there when he announced it to Ms. Gossip of the Century? But then again, she did look like how she looked now; mummified horror.

Her answer came unexpectedly.

"It's not that," she said. Then she looked up at him and smiled. "It's what he said afterwards that got me thinking."

"And what did he say?"

"'Too bad you chose quickly,'" she repeated.

His heart skipped a beat. A sudden wave of fright iced his system. Yunoki would say that? What did he mean?

Then a memory rushed, surfacing like a shark on its prey...

"_This is all just a game, Tsukimori," Yunoki looked directly at Len and gave him a smile. "And we all know that Kaho-chan is the prize."_

* * *

_**I know it's short, but there's a bigger part to this that will be continued, don't you all worry.  
I believe Yunoki is such a good antagonistic character, hence, the title.**_

_**Also...  
More mishaps coming up in the next chapters including Fuyuumi's birthday bash and more announcements from the lovely couple!  
By the way, I ADORE YOU ALL!  
Read & Review & possibly even Share ;)  
**_


	8. Opus VII: The Schumann Counterpart

**La Corda D'Oro Terzo Passo**

_Thank you the meganimously epic reviewers, readers and followers. You are all the inspiration to continue!  
And to Hercolanium: Thank you! I have finally caught up with the bestie and it was jolly good fun._

_This chapter's dedicated to you! ;)_

* * *

**Opus VII**

**~The Schumann Counterpart~**

With effortless grace, she removed her fingers from the black and white keys and closed her eyes.

She drowned in the applause of the whole stadium. She could hear her name being repeated over and over again. There were vibrations in the room and loud smacks of wood as people stood for an ovation.

Bliss. Pure, deserving bliss. And all thanks to the masterpiece of craft that lay before her.

She opened her eyes, gracefully stood up and bowed before her audience.

* * *

"What an unbelievable performance!"

"Astounding,"

"She could be the next Mozart!"

"That's not possible," Tsuchiura felt the gazes of his companions and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mozart's a guy," he said, as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world.

He could've sworn that Hihara was about to wring his neck, until Hino's voice broke the almost-playful tension.

"Which classical pianist would best suit her skills then, Tsuchiura-kun?" Her smile blinded him and for a moment, he lost his train of thought.

"She asked you a question, Tsuchiura," Hihara said, glaring at him now.

"Schumann," he finally replied. Everyone looked at him, bewildered.

"Clara Schumann," Shimizu's voice was so distinct and beautiful that everyone tuned in to what he was about to say next. After all, _everyone_ believed that Schumann was a guy.

"A mother of eight children, began her career under the tutelage of her father, and became known as one of the best classical musicians of the romantic era. Her first concert was at thirteen and she married one of the greatest classical composers of all time. A wonderful pianist."

"Someone's done their homework," Tsuchiura snickered. Shimizu slowly turned his head towards him.

"It's not actually my homework. I just love to rea-"

"Sarcasm, Shimizu," Tsuchiura interrupted with a wave of his hand. "Need to brush up on that skill," he followed, before walking away from the group.

"Someone's knickers are a little twisted," Hihara said, making Yunoki laugh and Fuyuumi blush. Hino just stared at his retreating figure until it vanished inside the toilet doors. She wondered what was up with him. He hasn't been himself ever since the concert began and he wondered if it had anything to do with his talk with Tsukimori. She decided she would find out sooner rather than later.

As the others were lining up at the buffet to get their food, Hino was left alone, thankful to gather her thoughts as she sipped her appetiser. Tsukimori called her just then and said that he would be there in five minutes. That time had gone already and he was bordering half an hour. She was worried, but at the same time, her thoughts kept turning back to Tsuchiura and exactly what she was going to say when Len arrived.

"You're alone?"

Perfect timing.

"Just having soup," she smiled at the blue-haired who sat next to her. "What took you so long anyway?"

Len fixed his collar and removed his scarf.

"Ran into Mr. Saotome," Hino stiffened. She recalled how she forgot to finish her last composition because she thought she didn't have a class but in fact, she did. Mr. Saotome's growl was worse than the almost-fail she received.

"He's not here, is he?" she gulped and Len leaned in and kissed her forehead, shocking her and comforting her at the same time.

"No, he's not,"

She wiped the corner of her lips with a napkin and yawned.

"You haven't told me about what happened between you and Tsuchiura-kun," she said, easing her sentence slowly as she stretched back to her former position.

"Now's not really a good time to talk about it, Kahoko," he said.

"And why not?" she tested.

"Tsukimori!" Hihara arrived just as Len had suspected.

"Hihara," he acknowledged. The green-haired sat next to Hino with two plates filled with a mountain of food that was spilling over its edges.

"It's a buffet, Hihara," Tsukimori said nodding at the dishes. "You can always come back for seconds."

Hihara made a face as he rubbed his hands together, preparing himself to dig in.

"Why bother when you can do it all at one time?"

Hino smiled, Len shook his head. Hihara would always be the little boy of the party.

Everyone eventually returned and Hino and Len went together to get their own meals. During which, they argued upon the great announcing to their friends.

"I don't think now's the best time, Len-kun," she whispered.

"Everyone's here Kahoko," he said with his back turned to her as he picked up some noodles with the chopsticks. "When's a better time than now? Besides, if you want, I'll go and tell them myself."

"No!" she said a little too loudly. Len looked at her as she blushed furiously, pushing him further down the line.

She apologised and allowed him to pep talk her. She didn't know what made her emotions run high in a mixture of emotions: the final announcement or Len giving her soft and soothing words to make her feel better.

The walk towards their table was like a trek over Mt. Himalayas for Hino. As they neared, her paranoia kept telling her that the looks and glances they gave her was that of suspicion or worse, knowing already. She felt her breath leaving her. That is, until the light slowly dragged her in when Len began to speak.

* * *

Old Manami liked the look of the petite dark-haired. He had only seen her once and he figured she was new to this part of the town, but he liked her immediately. She bespoke grace and dignity. Characteristics rarely found in girls nowadays, except maybe for Kahoko. Now that girl, he adored.

Though this girl was seemingly a little more of a recluse than the pink-haired, he welcomed a nice change of pace in the opposite gender for the high-schoolers. Though that girl who played clarinet, Fuyuumi, was a real exception, most of the dominants were high and mighty in the louder and more outgoing extremes.

Manami definitely didn't mind someone who was just in the middle of both extremes. Kind of like Hino.

She finished counting her coins, something Manami, for the first time, didn't mind, as he was more of a 'notes' person and gladly took them with a smile.

"You like classical pieces too?"

The girl, Rikare nodded her head.

"It's my favourite genre of music," she replied.

"Do you play, my dear?"

Rikare's eyes lit up and she blushed, bowing her head.

"The piano," she replied moments later. This time, Manami's eyes lit up.

"The piano is a beautiful instrument, though I cannot say it is one of my favourites as every classical instrument is a favourite of mine," he said with a laugh. Rikare laughed with him. It was true. Even for her, she could never pick. But the piano; it was something special to her. Its worth and sentimentality was something she cannot put a number on. Indescribable, she finally decided with a laugh as she left the lovely little shop. She would definitely come back there more often.

Rikare loved the quietness of the place as she walked its cemented streets in no hurry. She loved the feeling of the breeze sweeping her long hair back and the smell of the ocean, filling her nostrils. The big blue was nearby and she could almost feel the cold rush of its waters at her feet.

Approaching a little park with a beautiful arched bridge, its serene fairy-tale beauty invited her to be a little girl once more. Taking the offer, she skipped towards it and laughed gaily to herself as she spun and danced over it, holding the bag with her purchases abreast.

The hard thud of a back against hers shocked her system as she went down in a dizzying bliss. A strong arm caught hold of her.

"Are you alright?" It was a male voice. Deep, masculine.

"I'm alright, thank you," she said as she was pulled up. She dusted her dress and thanked the stranger for handing her the fallen CD's.

His hazel eyes looked over her to make sure she's okay before he bid his goodbye. An inexplicable sense of loss filled her.

"I'm sorry again!" she called after him, hoping he would turn. Instead, he continued his walk; his back turned from her and acknowledged her words with a flick of his wrist over his head.

* * *

Hino sighed a big, satisfying sigh of relief as she slouched on her couch with a soft dull sound on the pillows. The barrage of questions was answered, the offended apologised to, and every bit of loose end finally tied up. Two and half of days worth of it was way too much. Especially since, she knew with all her heart, her beloved best friends Mio and Nao would still and always will, never ever make her forget the secret she had kept from them for a month and more.

Two and a half days didn't sound too right. Hino knew they were going to go after her until she plays her last song. And that...will be a very, _very_, long time indeed.

Thankful that her phone's battery was flat and that her charger was nowhere to be found, at least, on her present circumstance of laziness, she allowed herself to close her eyes and rest.

Everyone knew about Len and her and though they were a little shocked at first, especially Hihara, whom she felt sympathy for when, throughout the rest of the day, he ate in silence; everyone else seemed quite satisfied and congratulatory. Fuyuumi could not stop congratulating her and she was thankful her little friend was very understanding.

Tsuchiura, she eyed the most. He looked as if he knew it was coming. She expected him to make a terrible remark but he just acknowledged the both of them with a slight nod as he stood up and filled his plate in the queue. Yunoki was obviously faking his happiness as he smiled. She cringed inwardly and allowed Len to squeeze her arm slightly. He knew, of course.

The couch dipped on one end. Too tired, she didn't bother looking up. Len rested her legs over his as he leaned he reclined. It had been an exhausting couple of days for him too. Upon returning to school the next day, the whole campus was in, what he believed, illegitimate uproar for something so very _high-school_.

Besides, wasn't thirty percent or more of the school's populace in a relationship anyway? The gossips and the questionings didn't go too well with him and he had shut himself in the practice rooms for most of the lunchtimes.

Hino found him one lunchtime, breathless from running. She was being overtly oppressed by some of Len's more outspoken admirers and their rage was damaging her self-esteem more than she had anticipated. Like in the same way he had held his hands over her mouth while they hid from Amou during the Concours, he hid them both behind one of the rooms with the lights shut. Hearts were beating and sweat slid.

They simultaneously wished that the whole ordeal would be forgotten as swiftly as it had come.

"They're really against me aren't they, Len-kun," Hino said, tucking her arm under her head. "Your admirers I mean."

"I can show them the limits of my patience if needed, Kahoko," he said. "I'm not too fond of them either."

Hino laughed. "I don't suppose we could get away from all this even for just on day?" The frustration was clear in her voice.

"Fuyuumi's birthday is this weekend," Len said. "Two days off."

Hino's eyes widened and she sat up immediately.

"Of course!" She smacked her forehead and sighed.

"I don't even have her birthday present!" She repeatedly smacked herself until Len took hold of her wrists.

"We could do it tomorrow," he suggested. Hino looked at him and suppressed a smile.

"You and me," she said. "Out...in public. Do you think that's a really good idea right now?"

"I didn't say around town, did I?"

Kahoko thought about that for a moment. Was he suggesting something? Or was she simply being too hopeful at a chance to be close to Len, but as far away from everyone as possible? She continued to hope.

"The main city's not an hour away," he continued. Her heart surged and she blushed.

"You'd be willing, Len-kun?" Len looked at her as if she was a silly little girl who made a mistake.

"Of course," he said after a few moments pause. She smiled happily at him and ruffled his hair, much to his playful annoyance.

"I don't know if mum would agree though," she said. "It is a school night after all."

Len looked at the clock that ticked quietly on the wall.

"Straight after school we can head off. I'll have the car on the gym lot and we'll head straight there after your P.E. class and my interview with Amou. Yes, I've agreed to tell her some things in exchange for a little privacy from photos at Fuyuumi-san's birthday. I believe you'll be home no later than ten pm tomorrow night."

Hino sighed and rested her head back. It felt good to hear Len's plan. It was perfect. Perfect enough to dream of a great day with her prince charming without the informalities of the annoying rumour mill.

* * *

Rikare had seen him again that day. Casually dressed and looked as if he had just gone out.

He looked handsome in his rugged state, holding two plastic bags in his hands as he walked. She wanted to go up to him and introduce herself, knowing that for some unexplainable reason, she was very drawn to his presence. She was usually a shy person, not the type to make the effort, but for this one, she wanted to know more.

As her fingers studiously pressed the keys in a melodic dance of pure talent, she allowed her mind to wander off to his golden face, lighting up when she had bumped him as the sun was settling down.

But it was his hands. The delicate yet robust hands of a true artist. He was a musician. A classical musician. She knew that because she had seen hands like his countless of times. It may not be similar to hers, but he was, after all, a virtuoso.

The last note vibrated in the silent room. She took her foot off the pedal and smiled to herself.

'_I will meet with you soon, Len Tsukimori..._

* * *

_**If Yunoki as an antagonist isn't enough, why not join 'em and get a girl in the catfight as well?**  
_

_**Or will she really be a bitter competition of Hino?  
Find out in le next chapitre!**_


	9. Opus IX: Beginnings

_LE__ BACK!_

_I do apologise that I had to put this story on hiatus. This year has just been a carnival ride and I could not fit in to updating at all, let alone promptly finish courseworks. Here's the stop to the hiatus, however!  
Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Opus IX  
~Beginnings~**_

* * *

_**EXCLUSIVE:**_

"_**Seiso Academy's Ultimate Love Story: The Legend of the Fiddler Romance**_

_**Is a Legend No More!"**_

_**By Nami Amou**_

The photos may well speak for themselves. The ultimate romance of the school's century: the Iciest Prince gets together with his Fiery Rival.

A month after the celebrations of the beloved 2nd year Concours participant, Shouko Fuyuumi, Len Tsukimori and Hino Kahoko has finally revealed their status as the ultimate musical-couple of Seisou Academy. One word is all I can give you folks: L to the O.V.E. That's all there is to it.

Infatuation may be your goggly eyes and the "Babe, you're the reason that I live," scares the crap out of us all, but the dashing Mr. Tsukimori is all but goggly and cheesy with his violinist counterpart.

It's not an easy feat when you have a cute girlfriend like Hino Kahoko with her fiery red hair yet ever so kind personality and not so much as give her a peck on the cheek in your little downtime, but the Romeo of Romeos did not do the slightest bit. Oh no, boys, he did not and seriously, take note.

The ever-bright moon gave the two a spotlight behind the pineapple trees. Kahoko's eyes were luminous and filled with such love that every guy could have just swooped in there and gave the kiss of the gods. But Len, in his glory, looking down upon Kaho's pools of innocence gave her but a smile and leaned in and gently placed his lips on her forehead as the stars rejoiced in the romantic fruition of love...

* * *

Kahoko continued to read the article with flushed cheeks, not expecting Nami to be so dastardly detailed with her descriptions of her and Len's escapades during Fuyuumi's crazy weekend birthday bash. If you could even call it that.

Nami was frighteningly good with words even though the most _intimate _gestures - if one could be so bold to say - that they happened to have done was hold hands a few times and a couple of quick forehead kisses before lights out. The way it was worded, however, it felt like they were taken out from a very romantic movie usually played every Valentine's Day.

Kahoko placed the paper down with a sigh. She knew if it was bad idea to let Nami do coverage of them.

Unsurprisingly enough, the whole school was in utter chaos upon the paper's publication. Every girl happened to glare at her in differently wicked ways as she passed by innocently and almost half of the female populace found it amusing to _accidentally_ bump her during her days where she had to juggle her heavy textbooks to get to her classes. Physics and Chemistry never really did well to her, anyhow.

Len was annoyed upon hearing and once observing how foul the girls played.

"I'm going to kill Amou," he said with venom even though his face only showed a Len frown. Kahoko shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, Len-kun," she said, offering him her best smile as she rubbed her recently acquired bruise on her arm because of one of her _accidents_. "It'll die down like last time."

Unfortunately for Kahoko, it didn't after a month and in fact, a couple of senior girls have made a group for themselves to specifically target Kahoko once in a while and make her life a misery.

"You're a slut, Kaho," the leader of the group said, her hands on her waist while two others stood next to her; her _henchmen_. "You don't deserve to be with someone as talented and as handsome as Tsukimori-kun. You're nothing but a try-hard musical wannabe."

The blonde took a step towards Kahoko and pointed her manicured fingers at her forehead.

"You leave Tsukimor-kun now, Kahoko, or else you'd wish you'd never have come to Seisou at all," she threatened, her glare ominous and frightening. Kahoko couldn't retaliate when her back hit the knob of the door she was pushed in hard.

* * *

Tsuchiura juggled the ball with his knees leisurely, loving the feel of the wind breeze past his heated face after a gruelling training match against his boys. They were getting better and faster and he was proud to know that they've been following his every strict regime.

He kicked a couple of goals towards the net, allowing his sweat to slide down his forehead when he noticed Kahoko emerging from the gym's double doors. She held her gym bag with her even though she didn't look like she used it. And even from far away, he could she had a slight limp as she walked. Curious, he ran to the fence that separated the soccer field from the gym area.

"What are you doing here, Kahoko?"

Kaho turned around and smiled at Tsuchiura. He could've sworn her lips quivered a bit when she turned.

"Just forgot my bag, Tsuchiura-kun," she said with a wave. "I'm okay. I'm just heading off now."

Tsuchiura looked from her bag to her half-hearted smile. Something was definitely amiss.

"You don't look too good to me," he said. "Wait a bit. I'll just grab my stuff. I'll walk you home."

Despite her protests that she was okay, Tsuchiura didn't pay her any heed and hurriedly gathered his stuff. When he got to her, he took her gym bag, despite another bout of protest.

"It's fine, Kaho," he said, ignoring her whine.

"But I can do it myself, Tsuchiura-kun," she said, looking at him with pleading eyes. The green-haired looked at her warily.

"I'll only give it if you tell me why you're limping," Kahoko's eyes widened briefly before letting out a small laugh to ease the tension. _She's nervous_, he thought as he glanced at her.

"Oh, this, this is nothing," she said with a smile. "I was using the bathroom when I sort of slipped and hit my back on the sink. It's nothing big."

"Mm-hm," Tsuchiura continued to eye her. He still wasn't convinced but he decided to just let her be. He'd find out soon enough.

They just passed through the courtyard when Kahoko's phone began to ring. Tsuchiura waited for her as she took the call.

"Ohayo, Len-kun," she said with a smile. "I'm fine. Yep, I'm okay. I'm still at school. I left my gym bag so I had to get it back. No, it's okay, I'm with Tsuchiura-kun. He's taking me home now. No! Don't worry about it! No, please, don't cancel your tutoring for me. Please Len-kun, I promise you I'm fine. I'll call you as soon as I get home. Okay, yes, I'm fine. I promise. I'll call you straight away. Okay, thank you, Len-kun. Bye."

Kahoko smiled at Tsuchiura and thanked him for waiting patiently for her.

"Your boyfriend leaving you all alone," he said. "Not very knightly of him."

"It's actually my fault that Len-kun's not here," Kahoko said with a small smile. "He had taken me home already early this afternoon when I remembered about my bag. If Mr. Hawazaki wasn't so tough with people leaving things behind, then I wouldn't have come anyway."

That was true enough, Tsuchiura thought. That Hawazaki sure did like his financial rewards when a poor student managed to leave their clothes behind. He wondered if that was even legal...

"So how have you been, Tsuchiura-kun?" Kahoko asked, looking up at him.

The green-haired shrugged his shoulders casually.

"Same old," he replied.

"Soccer seems to be treating you real good though, Tsuchiura-kun," he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Yeah,"

Kahoko wondered why he was being so silent all of a sudden until he began to speak.

"I was thinking of joining the National team, actually," he said, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Really? That sounds great!"

Tsuchiura smirked.

"It's tough competition though. Kind of like the Concours," he continued. "Only the best get in."

"But you came in second place at the Concours, Tsuchiura-kun," she reminded him. "That means you were and still are one of the best."

Tsuchiura wanted to believe that it was that easy.

"Natural talent is different, Kahoko," he said, looking at her. "Even at the Concours, I'm still not good enough to beat Tsukimori."

Kahoko watched as his eyes looked on towards the distance. "And in this world, only the very best would be on the receiving end."

Kaho wanted to continue encouraging him about how great and talented he truly was, but she didn't notice that they had already arrived at her street. He stopped in front of her house and offered her bag to her.

"Thank you, Tsuchiura-kun," she said. Tsuchiura nodded at her.

"Don't mention it," he said with a wave. "I'll see you around then."

Before she could catch hold of what she wanted to say, he had already turned the bend and was out of her sight.

* * *

_**A/N**__: _  
_Apologies also that this is mostly about Tsuchiura and Kaho and no Len whatsoever except for the slight mention. It provides a good background to what's about to happen next, that's why. Thank you all and review if you can!_


End file.
